North Carolina's average residential electricity price was 14.6¢/kWh in February 2026 —
the 19th-lowest price of the 51 states+DC (EIA). Across its major utilities in 2024, average all-in rates ranged from
11.5¢/kWh at EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp to
15.5¢/kWh at Duke Energy Progress — a spread worth about
$432/yr at typical usage (10,800 kWh/yr).
North Carolina is a fully regulated market: households cannot choose their electricity or gas supplier.
For home heating, utility natural gas was the cheapest fuel at
$16.88 per million BTU vs $42.91 for electric resistance heat.
Residential rates by utility (EIA-861, average all-in ¢/kWh)
| Utility | 2023 ¢/kWh | 2024 ¢/kWh | Customers (2024) | Ownership | vs state avg, $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Apex | 12.11 | 10.52 | 29,289 | Municipal | -$390 |
| City of Morganton | 10.81 | 10.67 | 7,055 | Municipal | -$373 |
| City of Albemarle | 11.69 | 10.85 | 11,248 | Municipal | -$355 |
| EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp | 11.74 | 11.54 | 121,995 | Co-op | -$280 |
| Town of High Point | 11.78 | 11.63 | 38,079 | Municipal | -$270 |
| City of Statesville | 11.69 | 11.71 | 12,120 | Municipal | -$262 |
| City of Lexington | 11.67 | 11.75 | 18,053 | Municipal | -$257 |
| City of Elizabeth City | 12.44 | 11.76 | 11,366 | Municipal | -$256 |
| City of Concord | 12.90 | 11.85 | 29,857 | Municipal | -$247 |
| Greenville Utilities Comm | 11.10 | 11.97 | 65,731 | Municipal | -$233 |
| Town of Huntersville | 12.49 | 12.12 | 8,080 | Municipal | -$217 |
| City of Wilson | 11.58 | 12.13 | 32,078 | Municipal | -$215 |
| Carteret-Craven El Member Corp | 11.99 | 12.15 | 38,858 | Co-op | -$214 |
| City of Rocky Mount | 12.18 | 12.18 | 25,407 | Municipal | -$210 |
| Fayetteville Public Works Commission | 11.71 | 12.21 | 75,987 | Municipal | -$207 |
| City of Monroe | 13.06 | 12.28 | 10,543 | Municipal | -$199 |
| City of Gastonia | 12.46 | 12.40 | 27,008 | Municipal | -$187 |
| New River Light & Power Co | 10.44 | 12.45 | 7,247 | State-owned | -$181 |
| Mountain Electric Coop, Inc | 12.12 | 12.51 | 15,491 | Co-op | -$175 |
| City of New Bern | 12.21 | 12.65 | 21,226 | Municipal | -$160 |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp | 12.30 | 12.76 | 22,523 | Co-op | -$148 |
| Lumbee River Elec Member Corp | 12.03 | 12.81 | 64,396 | Co-op | -$143 |
| City of Washington | 13.01 | 13.01 | 11,547 | Municipal | -$121 |
| City of Kinston | 13.12 | 13.07 | 10,042 | Municipal | -$114 |
| Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp | 12.42 | 13.09 | 79,690 | Co-op | -$112 |
| Rutherford Elec Member Corp | 13.64 | 13.13 | 70,743 | Co-op | -$108 |
| South River Elec Member Corp | 12.90 | 13.30 | 45,730 | Co-op | -$90 |
| Union Electric Membership Corp | 12.61 | 13.37 | 84,602 | Co-op | -$82 |
| Wake Electric Membership Corp | 12.53 | 13.43 | 53,268 | Co-op | -$76 |
| Town of Tarboro | 12.92 | 13.56 | 5,592 | Municipal | -$62 |
| Brunswick Electric Member Corp | 13.96 | 13.66 | 105,562 | Co-op | -$50 |
| City of Lumberton | 13.87 | 13.83 | 9,983 | Municipal | -$32 |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | 13.62 | 13.93 | 108,656 | Investor-owned | -$21 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 11.88 | 13.94 | 1,919,372 | Investor-owned | -$21 |
| Four County Elec Member Corp | 13.42 | 13.98 | 30,807 | Co-op | -$17 |
| Blue Ridge Mountain EMC | 13.69 | 14.05 | 15,879 | Co-op | -$9 |
| Central Electric Membership Corp. | 13.85 | 14.34 | 22,071 | Co-op | +$22 |
| Albemarle Electric Member Corp | 14.34 | 14.47 | 12,728 | Co-op | +$37 |
| Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp | 14.66 | 14.59 | 71,926 | Co-op | +$49 |
| Pee Dee Electric Member Corp | 14.05 | 14.77 | 19,396 | Co-op | +$70 |
| French Broad Elec Member Corp | 14.50 | 14.78 | 36,147 | Co-op | +$70 |
| Duke Energy Progress | 14.18 | 15.54 | 1,356,079 | Investor-owned | +$152 |
| Piedmont Electric Member Corp | 15.64 | 15.60 | 30,334 | Co-op | +$158 |
| Randolph Electric Member Corp | 14.84 | 15.91 | 31,086 | Co-op | +$192 |
| Surry-Yadkin Elec Member Corp | 15.76 | 16.06 | 28,080 | Co-op | +$208 |
| Edgecombe-Martin County E M C | 15.45 | 16.07 | 10,716 | Co-op | +$209 |
| Tideland Electric Member Corp | 15.72 | 16.18 | 21,551 | Co-op | +$222 |
| Haywood Electric Member Corp | 16.73 | 16.60 | 29,078 | Co-op | +$267 |
| Roanoke Electric Member Corp | 16.70 | 21.14 | 12,049 | Co-op | +$757 |
Average price = residential revenue ÷ residential sales from each utility's federal EIA-861 filing (bundled service — supply + delivery + riders, not a quoted tariff rate). State average = 14.13¢/kWh, volume-weighted across these utilities (2024). Your distribution utility is fixed by address; these gaps measure what households in different territories actually paid. A further 1 competitive suppliers / solar lessors report energy-only or behind-the-meter sales in North Carolina; their prices cover only part of the bill and are not comparable to the all-in figures above.
Can you choose your electric company in North Carolina?
Electric supply choice: no · Gas supply choice: no
Fully regulated.
Official rate information: ncuc.gov.
Heating: which fuel is cheapest per million BTU in North Carolina?
| Fuel | Native price | As of | $ per MMBTU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility natural gas | $1.688 /therm | Feb 2026 | 16.88 |
| Heating oil (No. 2) | $4.998 /gal | Mar 30, 2026 | 36.09 |
| Propane | $3.450 /gal | Mar 30, 2026 | 37.72 |
| Electricity (resistance) | 14.64 ¢/kWh | Feb 2026 | 42.91 |
Utility natural gas is the cheapest heating fuel in North Carolina at $16.88/MMBTU — heating oil costs 2.1× as much per BTU. Conversions: 1 kWh = 3,412 BTU; 1 therm = 100,000 BTU; heating oil 138,500 BTU/gal; propane 91,452 BTU/gal. Site-energy prices — appliance efficiency changes delivered-heat cost: a 95% AFUE gas furnace delivers heat near the gas figure, while a heat pump at seasonal COP 2.5–3 cuts the effective electric figure by 60–70%.
Electricity price trend, last 12 months
North Carolina's average residential price went from 14.19¢/kWh in Feb '25 to 14.64¢/kWh in Feb '26 — up 3% year-over-year. The 12-month peak was 15.12¢ in Sep '25.
| Month | Feb '25 | Mar '25 | Apr '25 | May '25 | Jun '25 | Jul '25 | Aug '25 | Sep '25 | Oct '25 | Nov '25 | Dec '25 | Jan '26 | Feb '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¢/kWh | 14.19 | 14.80 | 14.53 | 14.32 | 13.38 | 13.37 | 14.60 | 15.12 | 15.05 | 14.64 | 13.47 | 13.68 | 14.64 |
Head-to-head utility comparisons in North Carolina
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs Duke Energy Progress — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs Dominion Energy Virginia — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs Union Electric Membership Corp — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs Rutherford Elec Member Corp — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC vs Wake Electric Membership Corp — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Progress vs EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Progress vs Dominion Energy Virginia — who's cheaper?
- Duke Energy Progress vs Brunswick Electric Member Corp — who's cheaper?
Questions people ask
- Who has the cheapest electricity in North Carolina?
- EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp, at an average 11.5 cents per kWh for 2024 among North Carolina utilities with at least 50,000 customers (EIA-861). The most expensive, Duke Energy Progress, averaged 15.5 cents — a difference of about $432 per year at 10,800 kWh.
- Can I choose my electric company in North Carolina?
- No. North Carolina is a regulated retail market: your utility is set by address and there is no residential supplier shopping. Rates are set in state utility-commission proceedings (ncuc.gov).
- Is gas or electric heat cheaper in North Carolina?
- Per million BTU of site energy, utility natural gas was $16.88 (Feb 2026) versus $42.91 for electric resistance heat, $36.09 for heating oil. A heat pump delivering 2.5-3 units of heat per unit of electricity brings electric heating to roughly $14-17 per MMBTU.
- What is the average electric bill in North Carolina?
- At North Carolina's February 2026 average price of 14.64 cents/kWh and typical usage of 900 kWh per month, a household pays about $132 per month ($1581 per year) for electricity. Actual bills vary with usage, utility territory, and tariff.
About these numbers. Rates shown are averages computed from federal regulatory filings (EIA Form 861)
and public tariff databases — confirm with your utility before making decisions; your actual rate depends on your tariff,
usage, and riders. Distribution utility is determined by address and generally cannot be chosen; in retail-choice states
you may choose your supplier for the supply portion of the bill. Savings figures use 10,800 kWh/yr
(US average residential usage) and are estimates, not quotes. EnergySavings is an independent data project by CertiHomes
and is not affiliated with any utility, supplier, or government agency.